Apparatus for dispensing fluids from a container under pressure



Jan. 30, 1951 C. W. ROBERTS APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING FLUIDS FROM A CONTAINER UNDER PRESSURE Filed Feb. 15, 1949 [1948155 flQ/rmms'fi floss-yrs In ven tor Attorney Patented Jan.'30, 1951 D APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING FLUIDS FROM A CONTAINER UNDER PRES SURE Charles Whittaker Roberts, Wanstead, London,

England, assignor to Sparklets Limited, London, England, a British company Application February 15, 1949, Serial a... 76,567 a In Great Britain February 4, 1948 2 Claims. 1 This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing fluent material from a container under pressure. The fluent material may be aerated beverages, liquid medicaments. dentiirices, and insecticides, or more viscous fluids such as aerated cream. This invention relates more particularly to apparatus of the type in which the dispensing of the fluent material is eflected by opening a spring-controlled valve mechanism.

In apparatus for dispensing fluent material from a container under pressure as proposed hitherto, difllculty has been experienced in preventing the accretion of the fluent material around the component parts of the valve mechanism, especially around the spring and valve seating and in so constructing and arranging the valve mechanism as to permit of readily dismantling and cleaning of the internal passage,

It is-an object of this invention to provide an apparatus of improved construction wherein access of the fluid to the controlling spring is prevented.

Another object is to provide an ap aratus, the component parts of which can be easily and rapidly assembled and dismantled.

A further object is to provide an apparatus, the internal passages of which are readily accessible for thorough cleaning.

According to the present invention apparatus for dispensing fluent material from a container under pressure comprises a syphon head adapted to be secured to the container and to a delivery tube extending inside the container near to the bottom thereof, the syphon head having an inlet passage communicating with the delivery tube,

an outlet passage for the discharge of fluent material from the head and valve means located between the inlet and outlet. passages and operable externally of the head to control the flow of fluent material from the inlet to the outlet passage, the valve means comprising a valve seating, a valve plug and a spring urging the plug on to the seating wherein the spring is housed in a chamber sealed against access of the fluent material to be dispensed and the valve seating is removably mounted in the syphon head.

For attachment to the container, the syphon head may be formed with a threaded portion adapted to engage a corresponding threaded portion of the container. This may be formed by a thread cut on the body of the container itself, or in any other suitable manner, for example by brazing or otherwise fastening a threaded ring on the container.

The invention will now be more particularly described with referenceto the accompanying drawing which shows a side view partly in section of an apparatus for dispensing fluent material from a container under pressure according tothe invention.

The syphon head It is formed with an annular projection II, the inner surface of which is adapted threadedly to engage a metal collar l2 mounted on the neck of the container l3, leakage of the pressure fluid between the projection H and the collar 12 being prevented by a gasket l4 mounted between the mouth of the container l3 and a shoulder l5 iormed on the head I ll.

The head it is provided with a bore l6 and an exit passage I I communicating therewith. The lower end of the bore I6 is screw-threaded to receive a threaded plug l8 having an inlet passage l9 concentric with the bore l6. In the lower end of the inlet passage I9 is mounted a delivery tube '20, extending to a point near to the bottom of the container I 3. Commun cation between the inlet passage l9 and the outlet passage I1 is con trolled by a valve means comprising a valve plug 2| co-operating with a valve seating 22 mounted on ,or formed integrally with the plug I l.

The valve plug 2| is mounted on a piston 23, adapted to slide within the upper portion of the bore it above the point at which the outlet passage communicates therewith, so as to isolate a chamber 24 at the upper end of the bore i8. This-chamber 24 is sealed against access of the fluid under pressure by means of a sealing ring 25 located in a circumferential recess 28 in the piston 23. The sealing ring 25 is preferably made of yielding material and is compressed between the piston 23 and the wall of the chamber 24 whereby access of fluent material to the chamber 24 is prevented. The valve plug 2| is normally held against the valve seat 22 by the action of a compression spring 21 housed within the chamber 24 and protected against access of the fluid by the sealing ring 25, and bearing at one end against the piston 23 and at the other end against a lip 28 formed within the chamber 24.

The piston 23 is coupled to an actuating lever 29 on the outside of the head It by means of a stem 30 which is mounted on the piston 23 in axial continuity with the inlet passage is and passes through an orifice 3| formed in the upper end of chamber 24. The upper end of stem 30, which is screw-threaded, passes through an oriflce 32 in the lever 29 and is secured thereto by a nut 33. I

The lever 29 is arranged to pivot about a fulcrum in the form of a boss 34 formed integrally with the underside oi the lever 29 and abuttin against the outer surface of the head It, so that valve seat extending into the lower end of the bore, a valve plug reciprocable in the bore in cooperation with said valve seat to open and close the inlet passage from said closure plug, sealing means on the valve plug preventing the passage v of fluid to the upper portion of said bore, spring stem II, when the piston 23, stem 30 and spring 21 can readily be removed from the head It clearing the bore l6 and leaving the chamber 24 hous-.

ing the piston 28 ready of access for cleaning.

rpr convenience in handling and operating the apparatus, r pping means in the form of a handle 35 may be attached to the head or formed integrally with it.

In order that the syphon may be charged with gas from a compressed gas capsule, a socket 36 is provided on the container for the reception or a capsule holder during the'charging operation.

The head I0 may be formed .from metal for example by die-casting or it may be moulded from a suitable synthetic plastic material. The outlet e H, or spout as it is commonly termed, may be lined with a tube of corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel, glass or ceramic ware, which may be positioned in the die or mold so that the material of the head is bonded to it during the casting or moulding operation.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for dispensing fluids from a container under pressure comprising a syphon head adapted to be secured to a container, said head having an axial bore therethrough from top to bottom and internally threaded at its lower end, a detachable closure plug threaded in said lower end and having an inlet passage open to said bore, a delivery tube attached to said plug in communication with its inlet passage, said head also having an outlet passage in open communication with the bore, said plug having thereon a means in the upper portion of said bore urging the valve plug closed against its seat, a valve stem attached at its lower end to the valve plug and projecting at its upper end through the upper end of said bore above the'top ot the head, an operating handle mounted externally on the top of said 'head in detachable connection with the projecting end of the valve stem, and all said valve plug, stem, and spring means being bodily removable through the lower end or said bore following detachment of the operating handle and removal oi the closure plug.

2. In the structure of claim 1, said operating handle and its detachable connection with the valve stem comprising a lever iulcrumed on the top of the syphon head and having a handle portion and a valve stem connecting portion, said valve stem connecting portion being apertured to receive the upper end 01 the valve stem therethrough, and detachable securing means on said upper end of the valve stem engaging the stem connecting portion of the lever for moving the stem to unseat the valve plug on actuation of the handle portion of said lever.

CHARLES WHI'I'IAKER ROBERTS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 618,616 Quillieldt Jan. 31, 1899 710,305 Scheiber' Sept. 30, 1902 1,184,633 Dilts May 23, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 14,874 Great Britain June 26, 1911 

